Trump calls for death penalty for migrants who kill Americans

AURORA, Colorado – Donald Trump portrayed migrants as dangerous criminals during a rally in Aurora, Colorado, on Oct 11, calling for the death penalty for migrants who kill US citizens as he escalated the anti-immigration rhetoric that has fueled his presidential run.

- REUTERS

AURORA, Colorado - Donald Trump portrayed migrants as dangerous criminals during a rally in Aurora, Colorado, on Oct 11, calling for the death penalty for migrants who kill US citizens as he escalated the anti-immigration rhetoric that has fueled his presidential run.

Flanked by posters of alleged members of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua, Trump also said that if elected, he would launch a national "Operation Aurora" to target the gang members.

Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, has noticeably hardened his anti-immigration rhetoric in the final weeks of the Nov 5 election campaign, where he aims to defeat Democratic candidate Kamala Harris.

Illegal immigration is a top voter concern, and Trump is seen by most voters as the person best able to address it, opinion polls show.

"I'm hereby calling for the death penalty for any migrant that kills an American citizen or a law enforcement officer," Trump said to loud cheers from a large crowd of supporters.

Trump has already proposed an expansion of the death penalty for other offenders, including people convicted of sex trafficking women and children.

Nearly half of US states ban the death penalty.